Railroad-signal



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH R. JONES, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO THOMAS A. JONES, OF SAME PLACE,AND JOSHUA W. JONES,

OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATIIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,033, dated March19, 1895.

Application filed July 12, 1894.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. JONES, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad- Signals, whichimprovement is fully set forth in the following specification andaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of rail to road signals shown inLetters Patent No. 513,934., granted to me January 30, 1894, the samehaving an operating chain or connection which is independent of theprimary lever, and adapted to expand or contract by [5 reason of heat orcold, and it consists of the employment of pivoted levers havingclutches mounted thereon, in place of the verticallymoving travelersshown in the aforesaid patent, whereby the-friction is reduced to aminimum and the construction and operation of the device greatlysimplified.

It also consists of a novel manner of supporting the connection of theoperating lever and signal arm, as will be hereinafter set forth.

It further consists of the combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a railroad signal embodying myinvention, the

0 right hand portion being broken off and shown on a reduced scale. Fig.2 represents an end elevation of the stand which supports the levers.Fig. 3 represents a modified form of the clutch mechanism tobehereinafter re- 3 5 ferred to.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Referring to the drawings: A designates a stand, and B designates anoperating lever mounted thereon. Pivotally connected with the lower end0 of said lever, is a rod D, which is itself pivotally connected withthe movable member of a clutch or grip E, the latter consisting of anangular or other shaped jaw G,

5 which is attached to the end of the bed or fixed clutch member F, thelatter being secured to the lever H, the upper end or limb G of said jawbeing so disposed that the chain J may at certain times pass freelythrough Serial No. 517,325. (No model.)

the space betweensaid limb and the adjacent 5o portion of the block F.

K designates a standard or supporting frame attached to the base of thestand A, and provided with the ears L and M, and the stops N and P, saidears and stops being arranged diagonally to each other, and on oppositesides of the standards K, as seen in Fig. 1..

.Q designates an upwardly-extending portion of said standard K, whichserves as a guide for and prevents any lateral movement of the levers Hand R, which are pivotally attached to the ears L and M respectively.

S designates a rod which connects the arm T, which extends to one sideof the lever B, in a direction preferably opposite to the arm O, to thejaw U, which is pivotally attached to the bed V, the "latter beingsecured to the end of the lever R. It is obvious however, that the bedsF and V can be made integral with the levers H and R if so desired. Theupper right hand portion of the chain J passes over the pulley W, whichis-suitably attached to the lower end O of the lever B, thence under thepulley X, to which is attached a weight Y for the purpose of taking upany slack in the chain due to expansion or contraction, or any othercause, said weight having a pendent slack piece P attached thereto, theother end 0 being attached to some fixed point, whereby the descent ofsaid weight is limited. The chain J then passes over the pulley Z, whichis attached to the weighted arm T, and thence between the jaw U and thebed V, and under the pulley A, which is suitably journaled near the baseof 8 5 the stand A. The right hand portion of said chain J after passingover the pulley W, passes under the pulley B, which is journaled nearthe base of the stand A.

O and D designate rods which are attached at one end to the weightedlever E, and at their other extremities to the ends of the chain J, therod 0' being attached to that portion of the chain which passes underthe pulley A, while the rod D is attached to that 5 part of said chainwhich passes over the pulley W and under the pulley B.

K and L designate pulleys near the base of the standard F, under whichsaid chains J pass, the said standard Fhaving the signal arm G mountedupon it, near its upper extremity, one limb of said arm having the rod Hconnected therewitlnthe other end of said rod being connected with theweighted lever E, which has its axis J on the standard F.

In Fig. 3, the parts which constitute the clutch mechanism are reversedfrom the positions shown in Fig. 1, the stationary portion or bed Fbeing at the extreme end of the lever H, the jaw G2 being pivotedthereto at a point between said extremity and the fulcrum of the lever.I have shown rods M, M, connecting the upper and lower portions of thechains J, but it is obvious that said chains may be continuous ifdesired, and also in lieu of the chains, I may use wires orcords, wherethe former are employed.

The operation is as follows, the normal position of the parts beingshown in Fig. 1, the lever I-I resting on the stop P: When the operatinglever B is moved in the direction of the arrow, the rod 1) is raised,whereby the head G of the clutch E moves toward the chain J, and thelatter is held tightly against the bed F. As the clutch rises with therod, the lever H is also raised, and the chain as clutched is carriedup, whereby the said chain will pull the right hand rod D downwardly inthe direction of the arrow, thereby lowering the signal arm G, and anyslack in said chain above said lever H will be taken up by the weight Y,the chain being thus always kept taut. \Vhen it is desired that theparts should be returned to the pesitions shown in Fig. 1, the operatinglever B being now in its extreme left hand position, is moved in adirection opposite to the arrow, the limb of the clutch E releasing thechain J from the bed F, while the jaw U is pressed toward the bed V,holding the portion of the chain J therebetween tightly against thesame. Said clutch mechanism and lever being now near their extreme lowerposition, the lever B leaves the stop N, whereby as the rod S rises, theclutch and that portion of the chain engaged thereby will becaused torise also, and the rod 0 and the lever E will be drawn downwardly andthe arm G raised to danger, as seen in Fig. 1.

By attaching the pulley \V directly to the lower portion 0 of the lever15, the latter is more evenly balanced than heretofore, and since theupper portion of the continuous chain J always hangs loose between thepulleys IV and Z, and has the weight Y attached thereto, said chain willalways be kept taut by said weight, since it passes freely through theclutches, since a compensation is thus made for expansions andcontractions, due to any cause, and liability of breakage is reduced toa minimum.

Should any of the chains or connections be cut or broken, when thesignal arm is set at danger, the latter does not change its position,

and should said signal arm be lowered, and any of the connections cut orbroken, the weighted arm will set said signal arm at danger, the effectof which is evident.

By the employmentof the pivotally mounted levers H and R, having theclutch mechanism at their extremities, the construction and operation ofthe actuating mechanism are greatly simplified, friction is reduced to aminimum, and less power is required to set the signal arm, and by meansof the guide Q and the stops N and P on the standard which carries thelevers, the action of the latter is made positive, and the extent oftheir movement limited, as is evident.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway signal, pivoted levers having clutch mechanismstherein,an operating lover, a signal arm, chains attached to said signalarm and passing over pulleys on limbs of said operating lever andadapted to be engaged by either of said clutch mechanisms, and meansconnecting said limbs and said pivoted levers, said parts being combinedsubstantially as described.

2. In a railway signal, a support with stops thereon, levers pivoted tosaid support and limited in their downward movements by said stops andpivoted clutch mechanisms on said levers, said parts being combinedsubstantially as described.

3. In a railway signal, the combination of a support having ears thereonon opposite sides thereof, with levers pivoted to said ears, a guidecontinuous of said support between said levers, and stops on saidsupport below said levers, substantially as described.

4. In a railway signal, an operating lever with limbs having pulleysthereon, two pivoted levers each having a pivoted clutch mechanismthereon, means substantially as described connecting said limbs withsaid pivoted levers, a continuous chain passing over said pulleys andadapted to be engaged by either of said clutch mechanisms, a weight onsaid chain between said pulleys, and stops limiting the movement of saidpivoted levers, said parts being combined substantially as described.

5. A signal arm, and an operating lever, connections intermediate of thesame, and clutch mechanisms for said connections pivotally secured to asuitable fixed point, a chain or its equivalent common to saidconnections as continuities thereof, a weight on said chain for thepurpose described, and means where by the descent of said weight islimited, substantially as described.

6. A signal arm, an operating lever, clutch mechanisms pivotallysupported and connected with opposite limbs of said lever, an endlesschain connected with said signal arm, and a weight movable on saidchain, the latter passing over pulleys attached to saidoppositely-extending limbs of said operating mechanisms pivotallysupported and conlever, said parts being combined substantially nectedwith opposite limbs of said lever, and as described. an endless chainconnected with said signal I 5 7. A signal arm, an operating lever,clutch arm, said chain passing over pulleys attached 5 mechanismsconnected with opposite limbs of to said 0pp0sitely-extending limbs ofsaid said lever, an endless chain connected with operating lever, saidparts being combined said signal arm, and a weight movable onsubstantially as described. said chain, the latter passing over pulleysattached to said oppositely-extending limbs of JOSEPH JONES :0 saidoperating lever, said parts being combined substantially as described.

8. A signal arm, an operating lever, clutch WVitnesses:

JOHN A. Wrnnnnsnnm, A. P. JENNINGS.

